Fabricating Debris on Glass

The sound (Gary Mauer) of fabricating debris on glass (video courtesy of window cleaning resources).

I've been putting off the subject of fabricating debris for quite a while now, as its such a body of work that needs addressing and is coming to the forefront in the window cleaners world, although the problem has been around for much longer. If it hadn't been for the work of Gary Mauer & Dan Fields, more window cleaners would probably have gone out of business by now.

Gary Mauer runs a widely respected network & has educated window cleaners worldwide on the problem of fabricating debris & Dan Fields educates via his website, tapes & DVD's.

If you are not familiar with the problem, I urge you to sign up now to the discussion group or get the information from the websites concerned, click on Gary & Dan to take you straight to their respective sites.

The issue here is why some uncoated tempered glass (but not all) may be so laden with abrasive fabricating debris that it will scratch when you clean it with a standard window cleaning scraper. Fabricating debris is an inherent problem with tempered glass, but clearly some temperers do a good job of minimizing it, while others do not.

Lately a war of words has broken out between GANA & window cleaners in the USA. With GANA contradicting themselves by saying scrapers shouldn't be used, but.......a small scraper could be used???

More links from the AUWC with their defective glass bulletin & an open letter to GANA from the IWCA. The MWCoA also put out a great pdf file with some excellent pictures. Make sure you have a waiver in place before attempting any builders cleans, some window cleaners reserve the right for a signature before any window cleaning is attempted on any glass. Another video below of a window cleaner explaining fabricating debris.

The Cutting Edge Of Window Scrapers

The New Unger Ergotec Ninja Scraper available in 4 inch & 6 inch.

The cutting edge of window scrapers: Torsten Deutzmann of Unger Professional Worldwide reveals why professional window cleaners rely on their scrapers so much.

The word scrape has a number of different meanings, but one of the most appropriate I have found, in terms of window cleaning, is: ‘Move a hard or sharp edge across (a surface) especially to make something smooth’.

Materials used during the construction period, such as cement, grout and paint, can splatter onto glass – and scrapers are the most effective tool to help remove such debris, and other substances that can cause significant problems due to their unsightly appearance or ability to cause physical damage to the façade of a building.

Throwing eggs at buildings can seem like a good practical joke to some but egg can be a stubborn substance to remove once dried on. Scrapers can help in these circumstances, as they can with another big problem when it comes to building maintenance – bird excrement. Bird mess not only has the potential to spread disease and bacteria, its corrosive nature can also cause damage to brickwork and building facades if left for too long. Scrapers can also be useful when dealing with fly-posting or other materials such as stickers.

Toughened safety glass, also known as tempered or safety glass and as ESG in Germany, is extremely common. It is manufactured by a process of extreme heating and rapid cooling, so that the surface area cools much quicker than the inner layer. This makes it stronger than standard glass, and, if the glass does shatter, it breaks into small ‘chunks’ instead of splintering into dangerous, jagged shards.

Extra care needs to be taken when cleaning this type of glass as issues have arisen surrounding ‘fabricating debris’. This takes the form of tiny rough imperfections, sometimes referred to as ‘glass fines’ that are created in the hardening process.

Fabricating debris has been a subject of debate for years, and it prompted the International Window Cleaning Association (IWCA) to publish the IWCA Tempered Glass Informational Bulletin 2004 – Scrapers and Fabricating Debris in 2004. It offers a range of guidance and advice, including:

• Fabricating debris consists mostly of tiny glass chips and glass dust that get baked onto the surface of some tempered glass. These surface defects, also known as glass fines, may create scratches when they are dislodged and trapped by a scraper during window cleaning

• Builders should require suppliers to provide quality tempered glass that can be cleaned without scratching, the same as glass which is not tempered

• There should be a tempered glass scratch liability waiver for all construction window cleaning contracts, and for maintenance contracts when significant scraping will be done. The builder signs a tempered glass scratch liability waiver to assure they will not blame the window cleaner for scratches due to fabricating debris on tempered glass, and will not force the window cleaner to prove that fabricating debris caused scratches on tempered glass.

Check glass

Scrapers should not scratch normal, uncoated glass when used properly, but it is always advisable to check if the glass is scratch resistant before work starts, to follow the manufacturer’s instructions and to perform a test on a hidden area.

One useful way to determine whether glass is safety glass or not is to do the lighter trick. Simply hold a lit flame, from a lighter, match or candle, in front of the glass. If you see a double reflection in the pane it is safety glass. If you see just one flame reflected back at you, then it is normal glass.

When it comes to blades, the material they are made from and the way they have been sharpened are extremely important.

Scrapers are called upon to clear the most tough and stubborn dirt, debris and residue so the steel used should be hardened and corrosion resistant, ensuring that blades stay sharper, and rust-free, for longer. Carbon steel or low/high alloy stainless steels can provide these properties. Carbon steel will produce a stiffer blade, whereas those made from stainless steel are more flexible.

Carbon steel is a hard material, giving the cutting edge greater stability. The blade will stay sharp, but as water and/or cleaning chemicals are often used to lubricate the surface of the window being cleaned, this will have an effect as carbon steel rusts more quickly than stainless steel.

In contrast, stainless steel is more flexible and stays rust-free thanks to its high chrome content, which makes it a more expensive option. Being softer in terms of material means that the finely ground surface will wear down and lose its sharpness quicker than a carbon steel blade.

Dual-sided window cleaning blades made from corrosion resistant 440A grade stainless steel provide excellent edge retention, which means that the blades stay sharp for a long time. These blades benefit greatly from going through a precise honing process, which creates a cutting angle that is sharp and consistent, enhancing the speed and effectiveness of every scraper pass.

Scrapers need to be used with care, the golden rule being never to use one on dry glass. Always wet your window with the correct cleaning solution for the material you are about to remove as this helps to lubricate the blade.

It’s also important to scrape in one direction only, lift the scraper from the surface, and then reapply it. Scraping the blade back and forth across a window increases the chances of dirt being trapped under the blade and causing scratches. Clean your blade regularly in water and always apply an even pressure, holding the blade flat against the glass.

Old, worn-out or damaged blades must be changed regularly to ensure optimum results, and safety is also highly important. When not in use, caps should be placed over blades, or retracted, to minimise the risk of cuts.

The most effective and up-to-date models feature ergonomically designed handles which provide a more comfortable fit in the hand, minimising stresses and strains on hands, arms and shoulders. The latest innovation to hit the scraper market is the ability to change the angle of the scraper head from straight to 30 degrees at the touch of a button. This ensures a smooth and swift transition between manual and pole work.

Blades that are easy to change, using a slider mechanism, are preferable; and it’s also worth investing in a holster that allows you to store your scraper when not in use, but makes it easily accessible when needed. Choose one that has the ability to fit onto a range of tool belts, and has a solid back to protect your leg/body from cuts.

Scrapers have been used by the window cleaning, glass and building industries for years, and they are still the tools to go to when faced with certain types of dirt and debris. As design and technology know-how helps to improve the results they achieve, they can only retain their usefulness for many years to come.

Click to take you to the download page.

The Glass Tempering Handbook: Jonathan Barr has published 'The Glass Tempering Handbook', which "aims to explain and demystify the glass tempering process" in only 52 pages. It's packed with information and practical advice including glass fines on tempered glass surfaces and how they affect cleaning with metal blades - is one of many topics addressed by Barr. 

Building Contractors Beware of Tempered Glass

BELFAST, MAINE, USA: There is an on going issue regarding tempered glass which can be very costly to your business. 80-90% of all tempered glass being produced today has fabricating debris fused to the surface. This debris consists of glass fines produced when the glass is cut. The glass fines are not being washed off before the glass is tempered and they become fused to the surface. This debris is microscopic, however razor blades used in the cleaning process will dislodge them and the glass fines then scratch the glass. The glass industry recommends not using razors to clean the glass. Razors are an industry standard tool for removing paint, silicon, and general debris that will inevitably get on windows during the construction phase. Asking window cleanings not the use razors is like asking carpenters not to use a hammer. There are ways to avoid the use of a razor in the final cleaning phase of construction if certain precautions are taken. A lot of window companys are now applying protective film to the glass. This film must be left on until all construction is complete to minimize the amount of paint, etc that gets on the glass during building. If windows do not have this film it is highly recommended to mask the glass as soon as the windows are installed. While this issue is with tempered glass, it is a good idea to treat all the glass at your jobsite the same.

This news report comes on the heal of recent postings after Jack Nelson of MWCoA interviewed GANA Board Chairman Cliff Monro & of Arch glass. The interview can be read here. And more information from MWCoA can be read here.

More fabricating debris info here.

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More Fabricating Debris

Alex Lambrinides of window cleaning resource tests a piece of 'Arch' tempered glass in his workshop & shows again what fabricating debris sounds like. See more video's from GANA on the float glass manufacturing processes by clicking on the pictures below.

Its interesting to note that ARCH admit that contaminating debris will possibly be present on one or both sides of the glass & dimpling or marking could be present. And that these surface conditions do not threaten the visual integrity of the product! Download the pdf here.

Sticker for Window Cleaners Proposed

Affecting window cleaners Stateside more than Europe, but the fabricating debris issue debate is heating up as previously mentioned. This time, Glass magazine realeased this bulletin:

A design of a sticker for glass that would alert a window cleaner not to use metal scrapers was proposed Feb. 14 during the Glass Association of North America’s Glass Week at the Rio All Suites Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. “I support it to minimize the possibility of a suit,” said Kim Mann, general counsel for GANA, Topeka, Kan. “It supplies information and knowledge. They can’t claim they didn’t know if you have a sticker. It can only enhance your position.”
The proposal came during the construction subcommittee session of the Tempering Division meeting. The proposed sticker would be applied with a static-cling method. The members agreed that a sticker from GANA has more clout than a sticker from an individual company. They also agreed that the sticker should be available to non-GANA members. The group then discussed who would be responsible for applying the sticker but did not reach a consensus.
The subcommittee had formed a task group to create a position letter on surface particles on heat-treated glass in response to a November 2007 letter from the International Window Cleaners Association, Kansas City, Mo. IWCA members say that razor scrapers are the tool of the trade for cleaning glass. The letter states that the IWCA believes fabricating debris is “an easily preventable surface defect” and asked GANA to retract its glass cleaning informational bulletin, which recommends not using metal scrapers. GANA members say that microscopic particles are inherent to the process of heat-strengthened glass. Greg Carney, GANA’s technical adviser, says he continues to communicate with the IWCA and pass on information about the glass-making process.

The MidWest Window Cleaning Show + Other News

One week to go: Take your business to the next level with this once in a life time window cleaning educational seminar. This seminar is jam packed with speakers, information and concepts that will have a serious impact on your business. The 2nd annual Mid West Window Cleaning Convention. Friday July 30 & 31st 2010, in Coralville, Iowa. Located at the: Hampton Inn Iowa City/Coralville. Just 25 minutes from the airport, free shuttles available all day! If you missed this event the first time round, can you really afford to miss it the second time. Around a hundred people have already signed up & are ready to attend - you can come too, for free! Click here & scroll to the bottom to sign up.

Schedule of events:
Friday July 30th -

• 3pm - 6pm meet and greet / informal round table discussions
• 6pm - dinner / drinks
• 8pm - whenever - round tables continue

Saturday July 31st

• 9am - 9:15 - Opening ceremony / meet and greet
• 9am - 5pm - Out door pure water water fed pole demos. Get your hands on all of the popular pure water machines and water fed poles.
• 9:15am - 11am - Key note speaker Kevin Dubrosky - "The window cleaning business coach." This years IWCA Key note speaker! 99% of window cleaning business owners need some serious help with their marketing systems, and are not satisfied with the results they are currently obtaining. Kevin can help! Check out Kevins website.
• 11am -12pm - Doug MacDonald - From Get On Page 1 of Google - Doug helps window cleaners just like you bring there websites to the front page of Google every day. SEO or Search Engine Optimization is becoming the #1 source for customers to find you. Don't get left behind! Check out Doug's website.
• 2pm - 1pm - FREE LUNCH - Join us for a western style barbecue meal, yes its free!
• 1pm - 1:30pm - Fabricating Debris Seminar - Tony Evans from a New View Window Cleaning.
• 1:30pm - 2pm - Build your business through direct mail - Chris Lambrinides from Window Cleaning Resource, and All County Window Cleaning. Learn how to successfully implement direct mail into your business. Chris will give out his most successful mailers free of charge.
• 2pm - 2:30pm - Add ons - Increase your revenue through add on services. Chris Lambrinides and Tony Evans discuss add on services to improve your bottom line. Screen repair, power washing, gutter whitening, and gutter protection.
• 2:30pm - 3pm - Adding scratch removal to your business - Alex from Window Cleaning Resource, shows how you can successfully remove almost any scratch, even those caused by fabricating debris.
• 3pm - 5pm WFP demos, out door demonstrations, ladder safety.
• 5pm - The big give away!

Give-a-way's will be given out and raffled off every hour on the hour! GlassRenu are giving away a $2195 machine! Everybody should at least get $100 of goodies for just showing up! The show & seminars are free! The food is free! Just get yourself over to the MidWest Window Cleaning Conference - that's all you have to do.



Window cleaner survives 30,000-volt shock: A window cleaner is recovering in a hospital after he was zapped by a high voltage line yesterday (Weds). The 27-year-old from Wels was thrown out of his work platform after it touched a 30,000-volt power connection running close to the Sattledt company headquarters where he was cleaning the outside second-floor windows. Passers-by said the man was conscious when they found him lying in the grass. He was hospitalised in Wels. Doctors did not give out information about the extent of his injuries.

Quiet and humble in manner, short and plump in stature, Robert Farquharson is a man who seems innocuous and inoffensive. With a worried expression like a little boy lost at his Supreme Court retrial for 11 weeks, the scale of his terrible crime - murdering his three sons - felt incomprehensible. The events of Father's Day five years ago instantly made the then window cleaner from Winchelsea one of the most gossiped about men in Australia. But after deliberating since Monday, a jury has found the 41-year-old guilty of murdering Jai, 10, Tyler, 7, and Bailey, 2.

Environment protection and development with the minimal risk of deleterious impact on our people and their surroundings is our first priority. According to the latest assessment of quarry and crusher activity and their environmental impact by the Ministry of Environment and water (MOEW), the quarries and crushers in Ras Al Khaimah have been graded green, which implies 100 per cent implementation of the recommended protection measures, including ambient air dust levels.
The photographs published in your news report showing the presence of dust on the window glass and in the vacuum cleaner collection bag is a normal and natural outcome of arid atmospheric conditions, which is observed regularly even in the houses located in the city area without any industrial activity in the surroundings.
The complaints about the health problems, particularly asthma and allergy may be due to other well-known causative factors such as bacterial and viral diseases associated with seasonal changes, dust storms, indoor pollution, smoking, exposure to oud fumes and unhygienic living conditions.

Windsor, Ontario parking garage collapse demonstrates need for shoring: The collapse of a Windsor parking garage this month is an object lesson in the need to shore up the roofs of such structures before significant extra weight is placed on the surface above. Dr. Gina Cody, president of Construction Control Inc. of Woodbridge, Ont., said that whenever a heavy vehicle such as an articulated boom truck for maintenance or window washing is wheeled on to the surface, strengthening the roof below should be done as “a rule of thumb, unless the parking garage is really really heavily reinforced and it was designed for excessive loading, which is uncommon.”
Cody was speaking in the wake of a small parking garage collapse in Windsor July 8, apparently caused by excess weight from a zoom boom truck. This was in addition to an extra layer of asphalt applied to the street level surface of the garage at some point in the past, which had weakened it. There were no deaths though the boom operator, who was washing windows on an adjacent building, suffered injuries and was taken to hospital when the surface collapsed below his vehicle and he fell to the garage’s underground parking level. The 140-foot by 109-foot structure near downtown Windsor was a paved surface lot with one underground floor. Initial story here.

$150 Million Multiple Award Task Order Contract: ECC-RMA, LLC was also awarded the first task order under the contract, a $5 million design-build project for the USACE Los Angeles District with four options valued at $996,770. The team will replace roofs on Buildings 1, 2, and 14 at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in San Diego, CA with the option to design and build a photovoltaic system and window washing system on Building 1. The project is currently underway and scheduled for completion in September 2011.

Troubled Paul Gascoigne poses with a shopgirl who says he groped her - after falling off the wagon while in rehab. Rowena Ross, 22, said the England football legend smelled of booze when he popped into her chemist's near the clinic where he was having treatment. She added: "He seemed quite merry. He hugged me and then put his hand on my breast. He was giggling. I didn't say anything." Sam Bishop, 24, who lives near the Bournemouth clinic, bought Gazza some lager after bumping into him in the street.
The window cleaner said: "He asked me to buy him two cans of Stella and put them in a bag behind the wall of an empty house. When I'd done it I had to give him a thumbs-up to let him know it was there. I didn't know he was in rehab or I wouldn't have bought them."

Other Semi-related Window Cleaning News..

Medford, Ore. – A new campaign called the Graffiti Eradication Program is cleaning up Medford neighborhoods. The program takes youth offenders from the Jackson County Juvenile Division and volunteer groups from local high schools, to help paint over tagged homes or businesses. Lieutenant Bob Hansen from Medford Police says their just trying to take care of what they call the broken window effect. “If you have a broken window in a house and it stays that way or a business, they tend to more and more broken windows, said Hansen. “People see that and think it’s to go ahead and damage another window.”
Most of the supplies have been donated from local businesses like Ace Hubbard’s Hardware, Rodda Paint and Cleaning Solutions. Community Officer, Todd Sales scouted different neighborhoods to see what areas had the most graffiti. So far, more than thirty properties have been repainted. “We want to make sure that the youth get an opportunity to make restitution when do things they shouldn't,” said Sales.

Boffins develop greenhouse invisible to night-vision goggles: Boffins in the States say they have designed a "glass cloak" which renders objects within it invisible in the infrared spectrum. Prof Elena Semouchkina and her colleagues developed the "cloak", which reportedly bends micron wavelengths around its interior. Micron-length waves are in the near infrared, the part of the electromagnetic spectrum used by ordinary night-vision goggles. Previous invisibility cloak research has tended to focus on metallic "metamaterials", but Semouchkina and her colleagues' design calls for magnetic resonator metamaterial made of chalcogenide dielectric glass.
Regular metallic "cloaks", according to heavyweight invisibility prof Sir John Pendry, are not - or rather, will not be when visible-light versions are developed - actually flexible cloaks. Rather, they would be hefty rigid structures or cladding, more like a shed than any type of garment. It appears that Semouchkina's chalcogenide glass is pretty rigid, too, so in fact here we're talking more about an invisible greenhouse or glass house than a cloak. The invisible glass dwelling - doubtless featuring a glass ceiling of the type known to impede upwardly-mobile lady biz execs - would of course be perfectly perceptible to the naked eye. However it would be an ideal hiding place for people needing to elude enemies wearing regular near-infrared night-vision goggles, whether passive or active.
Sadly more up-to-date opponents using thermal imagers working in longer infrared wavelengths could detect it without too much difficulty: though one should note that human body heat can't normally penetrate glass, so the thermal-imager user would need to distinguish the invisible greenhouse by differentiating it from its background. For now, though, the disappearing glass abode doesn't exist in the real world. Semouchkina and her colleagues verified the theory of in vitro vanishment in silico - that is, they ran some computer simulations rather than actually building their machine.

Chicago hoarding cleanup service: Compassion is the key - Dan Reynolds cringes whenever he watches Hoarders, on A&E, or Hoarding: Buried Alive on TLC. The cleanup crews on those shows have it all wrong, he says. Reynolds should know. He, along with partner Mike Frakes, owns Minooka, Ill.-based Chicago Crime Scene Cleanup. While the company specializes, as its name suggests, in cleaning up crime scenes, it also works with hoarders throughout the Chicago area, helping them clean the mounds of newspapers, trash bags, empty cans, battered furniture and ancient clothes from their houses. Cleanup crews should never throw children's toys from an attic onto a front lawn, something Reynolds has seen happen on both Hoarders and Hoarding. That might make for good TV, Reynolds says, but it's bad for the family living in that house.
"People need their dignity. Throwing their possessions out a window isn't helping them keep their dignity," Reynolds said. "These people are not slobs. They are not lazy. They have a disorder." I'd been thinking about hoarding ever since my wife brought home a book from our local public library, Stuff: Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things. The book, by Randy Frost and Gail Steketee is filled with interviews of hoarders, people who can only travel from one room to the next by fashioning tunnels that snake between towers of paper, books, magazines and boxes of clothing. Frost and Steketee came to this conclusion: Hoarders assign the same value to every possession they have. They can't separate what's important from what's not. Reynolds has seen this. Not only does he help hoarders throughout the Chicago area clean their homes, he has two family members who struggle with their own hoarding disorders. Chicago Crime Scene Cleanup also cleans some of the several Chicago-area homes that have fallen into foreclosure. Read more..

Wouldn't make a good window cleaner: Wang Jun is addicted to eating light bulbs. The 52-year-old, from China, has munched his way through more than 1,000 of the glass bulbs, since biting into his first one as a child for a dare. He has even made a career out of the strange habit — starring in a circus as the world's only light bulb eating man. So far, his unusual diet hasn't had any serious health side effects. But Wang's family are becoming increasingly alarmed by his bizarre antics, which cost him his marriage. They have asked doctors, at a hospital near Wang's home in Sichuan Province, to help. Medics were sceptical at first, but now admit he has an addiction.
They took Wang in for observation and have watched him munch his way through 18 light bulbs in the last two weeks with no visible side-effects. Wang said he usually gets through about 25 a month and gets nervous and edgy if he can't get his regular light bulb fix. He said: "It's probably like withdrawal symptoms that any addict gets I suppose. "I remember eating my first light bulb when I was 12. I did it as a dare with my friends and actually had quite a nice feeling afterwards. It was very satisfying. "If I don't eat one for several days, I get very nervous.
"My wife actually left me because of it. She said it was too weird. I admit I didn't tell her at first when we got married and I used to munch the light bulbs in secret, but then she caught me and a short while later we separated. "The light bulbs taste best with porridge, but they are also quite nice with bread. I would recommend it to anybody, although I must admit I haven't heard of anybody trying any of my recipes yet." Doctors who examined Wang found no sign of any injuries, but they warned he needs to crack down or all the shattered glass may cause him serious harm in the future.

Unlucky lottery ticket thief wins hearing before judge: Stealing a winning lottery ticket does not make you lucky. That’s what San Mateo County prosecutors said after a suspected serial burglar nabbed four rolls of lottery tickets at a Burlingame store in April and was later caught on camera trying to cash in his winnings. The alleged crook and his buddy carried out multiple window-smashing burglaries in Peninsula cities, mostly snagging cash from registers. But he made the mistake of trying his luck at lottery tickets, prosecutors said.
The “winner” was spotted on camera cashing in the tickets at three different stores, and he and his accomplice were eventually tracked down and caught fleeing a dry cleaning business they burglarized, they said. The accused, Danny Hamilton, 25, and Shawn Reilly, 24, both South San Francisco residents, were set to face a judge on a host of charges Thursday afternoon.

Odds & Ends: Window Cleaning News

A Green Certification on the Horizon for the White House? President Barack Obama intends to get the White House LEED certified by the U.S. Green Building Council. White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) spokesperson, Christine Glunz, says the effort to get the White House to LEED certification includes energy and water systems as well as waste. She believes it is vital to consider toxicity and life-cycle when making purchases for facilities. CEQ is looking to reduce the carbon footprint of the White House by implementing computerized energy management systems, automatic light sensors that turn off in unoccupied rooms and low-flow water valves. Paints and sealers with low or no volatile organic compounds (VOCs), biodegradable cleaners and recycled equipment will all be used by White House groundskeepers and engineers, according to a White House spokesperson. Window films that will lower UV rays and save energy will also be added.

Australia is about to take a world lead in nanotechnology with the development of an amazing new instrument at a Melbourne research facility, writes Nick Gibson. Scientists at the Melbourne Centre for Nanofabrication at Monash will shortly bring online one of the most powerful nanotechnology instruments in the world, able to write data on particles ten thousand times smaller than the width of a human hair. The new multi-million dollar electron-beam lithography instrument can write or mark nano-sized objects with such precision that it could write the whole of ‘War and Peace’ on a pin-head.
Scientists will use the new instrument for a variety of key applications such as banknote fraud prevention, micro-texturing of surfaces, manufacture of micro-fluidic devices and x-ray optical elements. End products of such technology already in use include better quality paints, car and window cleaning treatments and improved swimsuits. “Nanotechnology is key to the future and many exciting new discoveries are being made through its use and application,” says Darrell Todd, ceo of thinkingaustralia.com.

An internet game featuring a high-rise window washer on a cradle. This one from the dutch, features guessing the letters before King Kong cuts the safety line & the window washer falls to his doom. Based on the word game, known as hangman. It's in Dutch, but don't be put off, just choose lot's of V's, W's & P's! Click the picture or here to play.

German film fest: Cuci The Musical. The musical, based on Hans Isaac’s movie, is about four adopted brothers from a small window washing company called Cuci Cuci Services. They aspire to compete in the ‘’Window Washing Olympics’’ competition to win a contract to clean the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur. The musical takes centrestage at Istana Budaya in Kuala Lumpur from Oct 23 to Nov 8. Leading the cast are Afdlin Shauki, Hans Isaac, Awie and AC Mizal. Their dream is to one day be given the contract to service the exterior of the Kuala Lumpur Petronas Twin Towers. That opportunity comes with the Window Washing Olympics – a competition run by Citi Jasmin (Vanida Imran) – that awards the winner with the cleaning contract. Cuci-Cuci Services decide to take on the defending champ, Wira Maju, a company owned by Citi Jasmin's boyfriend, Wira (Harith Iskander). Romance soon blossoms between Citi Jasmin and Khai much to Wira's dismay. Made first into a movie, released in January 2007, Isaac in a press conference in Kuala Lumpur, said he had every intention to initially make Cuci into a musical, but at the time he didn't have the finances.

A magnificent church window, rumoured to have been designed by one of the world’s most famous architects, has been returned to its original glory. A painstaking £25,000 restoration job has been carried out on the eastern stained-glass window at St Mary’s, Staindrop. Legend has it that the window’s design was the work of Augustus Welby Pugin, who planned the Houses of Parliament with architect Sir Charles Barry. St Mary’s eastern window, which is about 25ft high, was installed in 1855. In the past, John Cory has also been credited with the design. “There wasn’t a great deal of damage, but it was dirty as the window cleaner didn’t dare touch it. Borderdale did a good job and it’s now very fresh-looking,” Mr Poole said. St Mary’s Church, one of the oldest in the region, was founded in 771.

Murder man friends joy at club closure: Ben Lund (pictured), who died following an assault at the Funktion rooms nightclub has shut down after being repossessed and locked by the landlord. Friends and family of the popular window cleaner, who lived in York Road, held a peaceful protest against the club reopening and many are now pleased to see it has closed down. Rachel Jordan, a friend of the Lund family who helped organise the protest, posted a message social networking site Facebook which said, "Hooray, well done everyone for all your hard work through your sheer love for our fantastic gentle Ben. "This couldn't have happened without you all."

Windex "all-in-one" Canned again! It comes with a cleaning head; a handle and one cleaning pad that the package says will clean 20 windows with just one pad and in one use. I have seen it priced from $16.99 at Walgreens up to $22 on Amazon. It’s simple to use, just attach pad to cleaning head, then spray the window and cleaning pad with a water hose, then wipe the window using the cleaning pad and then rinse again making sure no suds are left behind...when it's done drying you should have a streak free shine
The replacement pads cost $4.99. It does say one pad will clean 20 windows but you have to clean all 20 windows at once, because directions say when done cleaning windows throw away the pad. I also cleaned a window using some paper towels and vinegar and water.
I gave the Windex Outdoor All- in- One a thumbs down because after letting it dry there were tons of streaks on my outdoor patio window. The vinegar and water cleaned better then the Windex Outdoor All- in- One. What I did like about the Windex All-in-One is the pole. It was a lot easier to use the pole then get up on a set ladder to clean that window.

And again...Our testers are two Newton Public School employees used to washing all the windows in the district every summer. Andrea even asked us to test this, in hopes her job will get a little easier. Gary wets the windows on the school with the hose, and Andrea uses the wand to scrub the glass with the soapy pad. They rinse....and wait. As the water starts to dry, the two aren't happy. The water isn't streaking, but the tool does leave lots of individual water drops on the glass. That means one thing to Andrea: spots. That's exactly what they start to see all over the windows. Just to be sure, they ask the opinion of another school employee who says the results wouldn't pass her test. Although it is streak-free, the windows are spotty And to be acceptable, all three agree they'd have to wipe down each pane of glass. Does It Work? All three of them say "no."
When we called the company, S.C. Johnson replied if spots show up, wash again. If the pad isn't available, rinse again. And the company says the quality of water can determine the quality of the results. Gary says he thinks he gave the product the benefit of the doubt. He says the test was on a cloudy, mild day. According to him, if it spotted on a day like that, it would really be a problem on a hot day when the water evaporated faster. Next summer he says, he's reaching for his bucket of water and squeegee.

Only two days after he learned from his former boss Marc Mawhinney the lawn care company he was managing was folding - along with several other Mawhinney companies - Crowdis started his own. On Aug. 13, he opened Yard Pros, taking over many of the clients that were left hanging with the closure of Mawhinney Lawn Care. "I was left high and dry so I thought I'd put my talent back to work and start up a company again and try my hand at another career field." It only took him two days to launch his own yard care company and begin looking after - for free - the many customers who had paid Mawhinney for the entire season. "Nobody missed a beat when it came to mowing," Crowdis said. "Everyone still got mowed"¦I couldn't just walk away and leave them all just hanging there." Crowdis brought two of his former employees with him as well as his fleet of yard care equipment and soon found himself busy mowing, aerating, dethatching and fertilizing lawns. His company also offers spring and fall cleanup, window washing, bed edging and mulching, tree and hedge trimming services as well as driveway sealing and hot pour crack filling for driveways for both businesses and residences from Saint John to Sussex.

Owner of The Window Man professional window cleaning service since 1994 and Summit Haus Properties spec building since 1999, Hodges comes to Prudential with a lengthy background in new construction. His knowledge of home building coupled with his insights on property location and cost comparisons proves to be helpful in educating potential clients.

Another Resource for Fabricating Debris: You may want to bookmark this one. Its a quick link page to other sites on the same topic. Fabricating Debris is a defect found on tempered and heat strengthened glass when the tempering company fails to maintain proper housekeeping procedures. It has increased in occurrence with the higher demand for tempered products and creates a situation that is detrimental to maintaining the clarity of the glass for it's lifetime. Not heard about it? You will soon, Its fabricating debris!

Window Cleaning Hall of Fame & Scratched Glass

Two new websites you should be aware of & read for your own information: The first website is from Window Cleaning Resource - Fabricating Debris & how to protect yourself from the terrors of clients that have poorly manufactured glass & what to do about it! This is one issue that is slowly raising it's ugly head in Europe as glass manufacturers are turning out poor quality glass for the quick buck leaving window cleaners holding the rag. Also a 'biggie' for window cleaners in the USA that can make or break your business in what is becoming a frequently discussed topic. Educate yourself, knowing that once you detect it, you may be too late. Above is the much celebrated DVD available from the store by the credited expert in the field of fabrication debris, Dan Fields. More information on this topic in this blog is collated here.

The Window Cleaning Hall of Fame started by Jack Nelson of the MWCoA, this website has been established to set up "to Honor the men and women who made what we do for a living easier and a more honorable profession." "Each year on April 10th we will add more members." "April 10 was picked because of the passing of Jim Willingham." "Jim never forgot where he came from he remained true to his roots." "He was both respected and revered." "Each person named here brought something unique to the window cleaning profession." "Because this is the first year for the list, there is no way we can honor everyone who was vital to the industry."

International Window Cleaning Association - Voting Begins

Fellow IWCA Member...

This is Chris Lambrinides, owner of All County Window Cleaning in New Jersey. I have been a loyal IWCA member since 2002. I am contacting you today to alert you that I am running to be a director of the board of or our great organization, the IWCA.

Nine years ago I had some basic equipment, a hand full of fliers and a lot of drive. In that nine years I have built the East coasts largest residential Window Cleaning company and developed considerable business skills.

I believe my strong business experience would benefit the future of the IWCA. I have given and will keep giving to our industry. Please vote for me in the upcoming election. I will not let you down. Below you will find my bio so you can get to know a little bit more about me before you fill out your ballot. If you have any questions for me before you vote, please feel free to contact me directly:

Office: 973 827 8311
Cell: 845 987 6915

Chris Lambrinides Bio'

Lambrinides is the founder and CEO of All County Window Cleaning. What started as a college side job for Chris 9 years ago, has now developed into the largest residential window cleaning company on the east coast. Employing a staff of 55, All County Window Cleaning's primary focus is residential window cleaning and storefront window cleaning routes.

Lambrinides has been a member of the IWCA for the past seven years and is currently serving as a member of the IWCA Convention committee. In addition, he also is a member of MWCOA.

As an IWCA Director, Lambrinides would focus on enhancing the residential program as well as expanding the education opportunities offered during the annual conventions. He would bring his skills as a business owner to help mentor other window cleaners in order to help them achieve their professional goals in the industry. Currently he mentors over two-dozen window cleaning companies across the United States. There is an open door policy at All County Window Cleaning and window cleaners from around the country spend up to a week at a time visiting and learning.

All County Window Cleaning has a firm position on fabricating debris and poor quality glass issues. Lambrinides plans on making poor quality glass issues a top priority if elected.

How Can You Vote?

To cast your ballot electronically follow these simple steps:

Access the members only portion of the IWCA website.
Once you are logged in, click on the "Board of Directors Nomination" Link.
To submit your ballot, access the link "Click here to Vote online"
Once you have accessed the ballot, select your company name from the directory, then enter your voter ID. After entering your voter ID click "Submit." You will then be allowed access to the ballot. Make your election selections and then click "submit." Each company is only allowed one vote. (See below for your voter ID access information.)
Cast your ballot by ratifying the nominees or submit a write-in candidate.
Please note - you will only be able to vote ONCE using your voter ID.

To cast your ballot by mail or fax, simply fill out the enclosed ballot and either mail or fax back to IWCA headquarters by Friday, Dec. 18, 2009.

If you have trouble accessing the online ballot or the members' only section of the Web site, please contact IWCA Headquarters at 800.875.4922.

Master Window Cleaners of America Seminar - North Carolina

Not long to go before the Master Window Cleaners of America Seminar - March 24th to be exact! The upcoming window cleaning seminar to be held in the Pinehurst area of North Carolina on Tuesday, March 24 from 9am to 4:30pm. It is free to all window cleaners, and lunch is provided. Attendees will receive product bags and product samples. Racenstein's Window Wagon will be on site. Drawing for door prizes also. Topics and speakers will include:

Don Chute of J. Racenstein Co. - Window cleaning education/Water Fed Pole/Art of Salesmanship.

Steve Blythe of Racenstein - Water fed Poles and Pure water window cleaning.
Jack Nelson will speak on fabricating debris.

Pete Marentay, owner of Sunbrite Supply to speak about pressure washing as an add-on service.
Kim Little will speak on glass stain & glass restoration.
Hand outs and prizes will be available.
First 60 to sign up with conformation will receive an Unger's Goodie bag valued over $20.00.
FIRST 50 to sign up will get a FREE Unger TX 100.

There is also the Prize for the window cleaner who came the longest distance.
Jim Willingham 2 DVD set" will be on sale at the event. All sales will benefit charity.

And Book your rooms using this LINK. Previous Seminars include Pittsburgh, 2008 (click on the picture of Jack to take you to the seminar photos).

October 2008 Carson, California Seminar Photos - click picture below.

You need not be a member of MWCoA but we would encourage you to Join Online Now.

Master Window Cleaners of America Seminar

Master Window Cleaners of America are putting on a Seminar in Tracy, California. A little late notice I know! The event is free & starts tomorrow October Thursday 8th and also Friday October 9th, 2009. This is a 2 day event in Tracy, California. Kicking off on Thursday October 8th; 11AM to Noon - "Meet and Greet," come early and meet the speakers and other window cleaners from across the nation.

IMPORTANT: Confirm your attendance with the Director Here.

Featuring:

Dan Fields - The Foremost expert of fabricating debris and construction cleaning up. Dan will also be handing out window cleaning soap samples AND a set of FIELDS Instructional DVD's to the person who comes the farthest.

Craig Aldrich - IWCA Board Member speaking on hard water spot removal and how to increase your business.

Don Chute - World renown salesman and water fed pole expert speaking on both water fed pole for Eagle Power and salesmanship, customer retention and landing the sale.

Jack Nelson - Director of MWCoA speaking on advertising and the art of self promotion.

Tom Tumath - Of CWC Supply will be speaking on adding power washing to your business and water reclaim systems.

Harv Berger - From Titan Labs will speak on window cleaning chemicals and bringing samples for everyone who attends.

Jessica DeMaranville From MrLongArm demonstrating their ProCurve system. Also offering a ProCurve system as a door prize to anyone who tries the system out.

Jeff Flint Speaking on Hardwater stain removal and protective coatings.

Possible prizes from Ettore, Pulex and Unger.

To book your individual room under the group rate you would just need to call the Fairfield Inn Tracy and reference the "Master Window Cleaners" to get the group discount. (Call for reservations here) Phone: 1-209-833-0135. MWCoA seminar attendees, only $69.99 per night. The regular price is $99.99 a night. Mention that you are with Master Window Cleaners of America and have a group rate of $64.99 . That's a room with 2 queen size beds. For $5.00 more, you can move up to a King and a sofa with a fridge and microwave oven.
Click the schedule below to enlarge.